Muslim Contact Unit - Revision history

Eveline: /* Criticism after the exposure of Lambert */

2026-06-15T11:01:48Z

Criticism after the exposure of Lambert

Eveline: /* Staffing */

2026-06-15T10:57:09Z

Staffing

Eveline at 14:14, 11 November 2020

2020-11-11T14:14:16Z

Eveline at 10:02, 15 November 2016

2016-11-15T10:02:53Z

Eveline at 09:58, 15 November 2016

2016-11-15T09:58:18Z

Show changes

Eveline: /* Affiliations */

2015-11-19T09:07:56Z

Affiliations

Melissa Jones at 07:01, 21 May 2015

2015-05-21T07:01:12Z

Melissa Jones: /* Affiliations */ ref

2015-05-21T06:58:45Z

Affiliations: ref

Melissa Jones: /* Finsbury Park Mosque */ typo

2015-05-21T06:56:14Z

Finsbury Park Mosque: typo

Melissa Jones: /* Affiliations */

2015-05-21T06:49:41Z

Affiliations

@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
 From his earliest public response to his exposure as a former [[Special Demonstration Squad]] infiltrator, Lambert attempted to separate his past work as an undercover officer among animal rights activists from his more recent mission engaging with Salafi and Islamist ‘non-violent extremists’. Soon after the story broke, he wrote for ''The Guardian'':
-::It is an unintended consequence of the Guardian's reporting that critics who object to the fact that I granted legitimacy and status to many politically active Muslim Londoners by working with them as partners should now claim I was spying on them – or, worse, that they were paid informants of mine. Let me be clear. I dispute the Policy Exchange argument that my Muslim partners were extreme or subversive, and fit only for the role of paid informants or to be secretly infiltrated. I did not recruit one Muslim Londoner as an informant nor did I spy on them. They were partners of police and many acted bravely in support of public safety.<ref name="ASL527">Robert Lambert, [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/police-counter-subversion-extremism ‘Police, counter-subversion and extremism’], ''The Guardian'', 20 October 2011 (accessed 22 November 2014).</ref><ref name="APOLOGY WORDING">This ‘denial’ is worded in a very specific way. Lambert says that he did not ‘recruit’ ‘one’ ‘Muslim’ ‘Londoner’ ‘as an informant’. This would, of course, preclude any activity he chooses not to characterise as ‘recruitment’, such as recruitment of non-Londoners (Muslim or otherwise); recruitment for the purposes of something characterised as anything other than ‘informing’; and so on.</ref>
+::It is an unintended consequence of the Guardian's reporting that critics who object to the fact that I granted legitimacy and status to many politically active Muslim Londoners by working with them as partners should now claim I was spying on them – or, worse, that they were paid informants of mine. Let me be clear. I dispute the Policy Exchange argument that my Muslim partners were extreme or subversive, and fit only for the role of paid informants or to be secretly infiltrated. I did not recruit one Muslim Londoner as an informant nor did I spy on them. They were partners of police and many acted bravely in support of public safety.<ref name="ASL527">Robert Lambert, [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/police-counter-subversion-extremism ‘Police, counter-subversion and extremism’], ''The Guardian'', 20 October 2011 (accessed 22 November 2014).</ref><ref name="APOLOGY WORDING">This ‘denial’ is worded in a very specific way. Lambert says that he did not ‘recruit’ ‘one’ ‘Muslim’ ‘Londoner’ ‘as an informant’. This would, of course, preclude any activity he chooses not to characterise as ‘recruitment’, such as recruitment of non-Londoners (Muslim or otherwise); recruitment for the purposes of something characterised as anything other than ‘informing’; and so on.</ref>In the few public statements made immediately after this,<ref name="ASL505/"><ref name="AMD001">Robert Lambert, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/more/item/270-bob-lambert-replies-to-spinwatch ‘Bob Lambert replies to Spinwatch’], SpinWatch.org, 23 October 2011 (accessed 16 April 2014).</ref><ref name="AMD002">Robert Lambert, [http://www.scribd.com/doc/81363913/Robert-Lambert-MBE-Rebuilding-Trust Rebuilding Trust and Credibility: A preliminary commentary reflecting my personal perspective], Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence profile page, February 2012 (accessed via Scribd 16 April 2014).</ref> Lambert did not address to the obvious question about his work as an undercover intelligence gatherer in the 1980s and his promotion to runnin the unit in the 1990s, and whether he employed these skill sets whilst leading the MCU's efforts to engage with Salafis and Islamists in the 2000s. In a 2014  article for ''Critical Studies on Terrorism'', Lambert claimed that the
 ::allegations and insinuations that I continued to deploy deception when subsequently working overtly in partnership with Muslim groups are particularly hurtful, ill-considered and unsubstantiated.<ref name="ASL029">Robert Lambert, [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17539153.2013.847262 ‘Researching counterterrorism: a personal perspective from a former undercover police officer’]. [http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rter20/7/1 ''Critical Studies on Terrorism''] Volume 7 Number 1, pp165-181 (2014).</ref> In April, Lambert then appeared on a radio programme investigating the Muslim Brotherhood in Britain. He was questioned about the MCU's partnership with the Muslim Association of Britain and the Muslim Welfare House in their attempts to wrest Finsbury Park Mosque away from Abu Hamza. Reporter Peter Marshall questioned him whether the MCU had been deceived by the Brotherhood-aligned groups involved, or vice versa:

@@ Line 164: / Line 164: @@
 ==Staffing ==
-From the outset, resources for the MCU were limited. Lambert has repeatedly stated that there were two founders of MCU, both from Special Branch.<ref name="ABK077p241">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p241.</ref> (“Just two MPSB officers started work as the MCU in January 2002”).<ref name="ABK077p79">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p79.</ref><ref name="AMD007">Robert Lambert, [http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cstpv/staff/rl40.html Staff profile page], Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St. Andrews website, 2012 (accessed 19 April 2014).</ref><ref name="CAVALCANTI">A private source has also stated to the author that the unit came into being in January 2002 “following discussions in October-November 2001”. Email correspondence and supporting material, 15 April 2014.</ref><ref name=EVANS LEWIS MCU FOUNDATION GLITCH">However, Evans & Lewis in their book baldly state that following 9/11 Lambert “and ''two other former SDS spies'' were given the resources to set up the Muslim Contact Unit” [author's emphasis]. See: Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p57. It is understood from correspondence with Rob Evans that this was a simple production error.</ref>
+From the outset, resources for the MCU were limited. Lambert has repeatedly stated that there were two founders of MCU, both from Special Branch.<ref name="ABK077p241">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p241.</ref> (“Just two MPSB officers started work as the MCU in January 2002”).<ref name="ABK077p79">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p79.</ref><ref name="AMD007">Robert Lambert, [http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cstpv/staff/rl40.html Staff profile page], Handa Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence, University of St. Andrews website, 2012 (accessed 19 April 2014).</ref><ref name="CAVALCANTI">A private source has also stated to the author that the unit came into being in January 2002 “following discussions in October-November 2001”. Email correspondence and supporting material, 15 April 2014.</ref><ref>However, Evans & Lewis in their book baldly state that following 9/11 Lambert “and ''two other former SDS spies'' were given the resources to set up the Muslim Contact Unit” [author's emphasis]. See: Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p57. It is understood from correspondence with Rob Evans that this was a simple production error.</ref>
 In the words of an MCU officer, quoted by Bob Lambert in his book:

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 In the immediate aftermath of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, Lambert began discussing what could be done to prevent similar attacks in the UK with “a close friend and colleague in MPSB.” Together they “conceived and implemented the Muslim Contact Unit,” which was formally established in January 2002 as a small team within the [[Metropolitan Police]] [[Special Branch]].<ref name="ABK077p35">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p35.</ref> Its prime mission was “establishing partnerships with Muslim community leaders both equipped and located to help tackle the spread of al-Qaida propaganda in London.”<ref name="ABK077p35">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p35.</ref><ref name="AAC003p224">Robert Lambert & Jonathan Githens-Mazer, [https://www.counterextremism.org/download_file/97/134/109/ ''Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: UK Case Studies 2010 - An introduction to a ten year Europe-wide research project (first edition)''], European Muslim Research Centre/University of Exeter, November 2010 (accessed via counterextremism.org 11 June 2014), p224.</ref><ref name="CSTPV">[http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~cstpv/staff/rl40.html ‘Dr Robert Lambert - Lecturer in Terrorism Studies’], University of St. Andrews website (accessed 15 March 2014).</ref><ref name="ABK085p57">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber/Guardian Books, 2013, p57</ref><ref name="MCU CREATION">Lambert's account in both his book and CSTPV profile is that MCU was founded by himself and one other colleague; the Evans/Lewis book claims Lambert “and two other former SDS spies were given the resources to set up the Muslim Contact Unit.” The accounts all agree that MCU was established in the aftermath of 9/11 in January 2002. A private source has added to the author that the actual foundation of MCU came “following discussions in October-November 2001”. It has been speculated that Lambert's cohort in creating MCU was [[Jim Boyling]] (e.g. merrick, [http://bristlingbadger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/bob-lambert-still-spying.html ‘bob lambert: still spying?’], Bristling Badger blog, 23 February 2012), who elsewhere has been acknowledged as involved in the unit (e.g. Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/oct/23/police-spy-tricked-lover-activist  ‘Police spy tricked lover with activist 'cover story'’], ''The Guardian'', 23 October 2011; Paul Lewis, Rob Evans & Rowenna Davis, [http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jan/19/wife-fourth-police-spy-children ‘Ex-wife of police spy tells how she fell in love and had children with him’], ''The Guardian'', 19 January 2011; and Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p194).</ref>
-The MCU was modelled after the work of Special Branch [[E Squad]], where Lambert had served from 1989 until 1993, in between his various deployments with the [[Special Demonstration Squad]].<ref name="ABK085p55">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p55.</ref> Lambert claims that in the 1980s E Squad had countered the threat of Sikh terrorism spreading to the UK through his engagement with the Sikh Community in Southall.<ref name="AMD220">Dr Bob Lambert, [https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’ (transcript of talk)], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 9 February 2016).</ref><ref name="AMD004">Dr Bob Lambert & Professor Rosemary Hollis, [http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert_Q&A.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’ (transcript of Q&A)], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 17 April 2014).</ref> Lambert also made his first known connections with the Muslim community during this period, when he worked on the Salman Rushdie affair and liaised with “prominent figures” at the London Central Mosque in Regent's Park.<ref name="ABK077p81">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p81.</ref><ref name="AMD004">Dr Bob Lambert & Professor Rosemary Hollis, [http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert_Q&A.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 17 April 2014)</ref>
+The MCU was modelled after the work of Special Branch [[E Squad]], where Lambert had served from 1989 until 1993, in between his various deployments with the [[Special Demonstration Squad]].<ref name="ABK085p55">Rob Evans & Paul Lewis, ''Undercover: The True Story of Britain's Secret Police'', Faber & Faber, 2013, p55.</ref> Lambert claims that in the 1980s E Squad had countered the threat of Sikh terrorism spreading to the UK through his engagement with the Sikh Community in Southall.<ref name="AMD220">Dr Bob Lambert, [https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’ (transcript of talk)], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 9 February 2016).</ref><ref name="AMD004">Dr Bob Lambert & Professor Rosemary Hollis, [http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert_Q&A.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’ (transcript of Q&A)], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 17 April 2014).</ref> Lambert also made his first known connections with the Muslim community during this period, when he worked on the Salman Rushdie affair and liaised with “prominent figures” at the London Central Mosque in Regent's Park.<ref name="ABK077p81">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p81.</ref><ref name="AMD004"/>
 The MCU headquarters was first set up in “an abandoned office on the second floor in a former police station in King's Cross Road” to the North of Central London, though it would change address several times.<ref name="ABK077p57">Robert Lambert, ''Countering Al-Qaeda in London: Police and Muslims in Partnership'', Hurst & Company, 2011, p57.</ref><ref name="AMD220p4">Dr Bob Lambert, [https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/files/chathamhouse/public/Meetings/Meeting%20Transcripts/210911lambert.pdf ‘Partnering with the Muslim Community as an Effective Counter-Terrorist Strategy’ (transcript of talk)], Chatham House, 20 September 2011 (accessed 9 February 2016), p4.</ref>
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 The partnerships formed by the MCU have persisted even a decade or more later. In 2012 Alyas Karmani from STREET commended the MCU for its work:
 ::We had a very good relationship with the Muslim Contact Unit and that was really important for us, I think, after 9/11: that we had that relationship, that we had a line of communication, because on a lot of the at risk issues that we work with, our young people have no confidence in police and a range of statutory agencies, so there is a need for an intermediate structure. There is a need for an agency that you can go to where you can have a very safe space for discussion without being labelled, without being identified as involved in criminality, and for us the Muslim Contact Unit provided that framework. Certainly for me, I was very concerned after 9/11, who do I talk to about these issues, and the Muslim Contact Unit provided that kind of framework.”<ref name="AEV076ev28">Home Affairs Select Committee, [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmhaff/1446/1446.pdf ''Roots of violent radicalisation''], The Stationery Office Limited, 31 January 2012 (accessed 1 December 2014), Ev28.</ref>
-What Karmani did not mention either time was how that relationship had been initiated by Bob Lambert, who by then had been exposed as a former undercover officer, or that Lambert had been a director of STREET until November 2009 - five months before Karmani joined.<ref name="AEV076ev28">Home Affairs Select Committee, [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmhaff/1446/1446.pdf ''Roots of violent radicalisation - Volume I''], The Stationery Office, 6 February 2012 (accessed 1 December 2014), Ev 28.</ref>
+What Karmani did not mention either time was how that relationship had been initiated by Bob Lambert, who by then had been exposed as a former undercover officer, or that Lambert had been a director of STREET until November 2009 - five months before Karmani joined.<ref name="AEV076ev28"/>
 In a 2014 radio programme, Anas Altikriti reflected positively on the partnership with the MCU, with Bob Lambert responding in kind:
@@ Line 153: / Line 153: @@
 ::It is an unintended consequence of the Guardian's reporting that critics who object to the fact that I granted legitimacy and status to many politically active Muslim Londoners by working with them as partners should now claim I was spying on them – or, worse, that they were paid informants of mine. Let me be clear. I dispute the Policy Exchange argument that my Muslim partners were extreme or subversive, and fit only for the role of paid informants or to be secretly infiltrated. I did not recruit one Muslim Londoner as an informant nor did I spy on them. They were partners of police and many acted bravely in support of public safety.<ref name="ASL527">Robert Lambert, [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/20/police-counter-subversion-extremism ‘Police, counter-subversion and extremism’], ''The Guardian'', 20 October 2011 (accessed 22 November 2014).</ref><ref name="APOLOGY WORDING">This ‘denial’ is worded in a very specific way. Lambert says that he did not ‘recruit’ ‘one’ ‘Muslim’ ‘Londoner’ ‘as an informant’. This would, of course, preclude any activity he chooses not to characterise as ‘recruitment’, such as recruitment of non-Londoners (Muslim or otherwise); recruitment for the purposes of something characterised as anything other than ‘informing’; and so on.</ref>
-In the few public statements made immediately after this,<ref name="ASL505">Paul Lewis & Rob Evans, [http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/oct/23/police-spy-tricked-lover-activist ‘Police spy tricked lover with activist 'cover story'’], ''The Guardian'', 23 October 2011 (accessed 16 November 2014).</ref><ref name="AMD001">Robert Lambert, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/more/item/270-bob-lambert-replies-to-spinwatch ‘Bob Lambert replies to Spinwatch’], SpinWatch.org, 23 October 2011 (accessed 16 April 2014).</ref><ref name="AMD002">Robert Lambert, [http://www.scribd.com/doc/81363913/Robert-Lambert-MBE-Rebuilding-Trust Rebuilding Trust and Credibility: A preliminary commentary reflecting my personal perspective], Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence profile page, February 2012 (accessed via Scribd 16 April 2014).</ref> Lambert did not address to the obvious question about his work as an undercover intelligence gatherer in the 1980s and his promotion to runnin the unit in the 1990s, and whether he employed these skill sets whilst leading the MCU's efforts to engage with Salafis and Islamists in the 2000s. In a 2014  article for ''Critical Studies on Terrorism'', Lambert claimed that the
+In the few public statements made immediately after this,<ref name="ASL505/"><ref name="AMD001">Robert Lambert, [http://www.spinwatch.org/index.php/issues/more/item/270-bob-lambert-replies-to-spinwatch ‘Bob Lambert replies to Spinwatch’], SpinWatch.org, 23 October 2011 (accessed 16 April 2014).</ref><ref name="AMD002">Robert Lambert, [http://www.scribd.com/doc/81363913/Robert-Lambert-MBE-Rebuilding-Trust Rebuilding Trust and Credibility: A preliminary commentary reflecting my personal perspective], Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence profile page, February 2012 (accessed via Scribd 16 April 2014).</ref> Lambert did not address to the obvious question about his work as an undercover intelligence gatherer in the 1980s and his promotion to runnin the unit in the 1990s, and whether he employed these skill sets whilst leading the MCU's efforts to engage with Salafis and Islamists in the 2000s. In a 2014  article for ''Critical Studies on Terrorism'', Lambert claimed that the
 ::allegations and insinuations that I continued to deploy deception when subsequently working overtly in partnership with Muslim groups are particularly hurtful, ill-considered and unsubstantiated.<ref name="ASL029">Robert Lambert, [http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17539153.2013.847262 ‘Researching counterterrorism: a personal perspective from a former undercover police officer’]. [http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rter20/7/1 ''Critical Studies on Terrorism''] Volume 7 Number 1, pp165-181 (2014).</ref> In April, Lambert then appeared on a radio programme investigating the Muslim Brotherhood in Britain. He was questioned about the MCU's partnership with the Muslim Association of Britain and the Muslim Welfare House in their attempts to wrest Finsbury Park Mosque away from Abu Hamza. Reporter Peter Marshall questioned him whether the MCU had been deceived by the Brotherhood-aligned groups involved, or vice versa:

@@ Line 183: / Line 183: @@
 ===Jim Boyling===
-[[File:PX_A_05.001.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Early Muslim Contact Unit member Jim Boyling - a friend and confidant of Bob Lambert, going back to their days in the Special Demonstration Squad.]]
+[[File:300px-PX_A_05.001.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Early Muslim Contact Unit member Jim Boyling - a friend and confidant of Bob Lambert, going back to their days in the Special Demonstration Squad.]]
 [[Jim Boyling|Andrew James Boyling]] was an early member of the MCU. Before that, from 1995 until 2000, he was an undercover officers with using the [[Special Demonstration Squad]]. Using the alias of ‘Jim Sutton’ he first infiltrated a hunt saboteur group and then Reclaim The Streets in London.
@@ Line 190: / Line 190: @@
 ===Mohammed Afiz Khan===
-[[File:PX_B_14.002.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Detective Inspector Mohammed Afiz Khan of the Metropolitan Police Muslim Contact Unit on his way to court in August 2013.]]
+[[File:300px-PX_B_14.002.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Detective Inspector Mohammed Afiz Khan of the Metropolitan Police Muslim Contact Unit on his way to court in August 2013.]]
 Mohammed Afiz Khan, known as Alfie, identifies as Muslim and joined the Metropolitan Police around 1989. By October 2012 he was a Detective Inspector in Counter Terrorism Command,<ref name="ASL1283">Neil Sears, [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2219710/Terror-officer-slept-aide-house-says-Galloway-Controversial-Respect-MP-claims-feels-violated.html ‘Terror officer slept with my aide in my house, says Galloway: Controversial Respect MP claims he feels 'violated'’], ''Daily Mail'', 18 October 2012 (accessed 22 June 2016).</ref> where he headed up the Muslim Contact Unit.<ref name="AMD046">Metropolitan Police Service Press Bureau, ‘Officer pleads guilty to misconduct in public office’, MPS website, 19 December 2013 (accessed 23 April 2014).</ref><ref name="ASL891">Sam Rkaina, [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jealous-copper-spied-george-galloways-3943177 ‘Jealous copper spied on George Galloway's assistant claiming it was part of 'anti terror investigation'’], ''Daily Mirror'', 31 July 2014 (accessed  27 April 2015).</ref>

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==Affiliations==
-[[Patrick Sookhdeo]], founder of the Christian charity the [[Barnabas Fund]], claims to have worked with Bob Lambert from the 1990s and in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, later acting as an unpaid adviser t the unit. According to Sookhdeo's personal website:
+[[Patrick Sookhdeo]], founder of the Christian charity the [[Barnabas Fund]], claims to have worked with Bob Lambert from the 1990s and in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, later acting as an unpaid adviser to the unit. According to Sookhdeo's personal website:
 ::After 9/11, Special Branch approached Dr Sookhdeo again to look at how the Islamist movements had developed since the early 1990s, their current expressions in the UK, and their objectives. This work with Robert Lambert later developed into the [[Muslim Contact Unit]] of Special Branch. It was during this period, as unpaid adviser to Special Branch, that Dr Sookhdeo wrote his book ''Understanding Islamic Terrorism'', which was one of the first of its kind. <ref name="website"> Patrick Sookhdeo, [http://patricksookhdeo.com/biography/ Biography], personal website, dated October 2011, acc 24 June 2013 </ref>

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Atma Singh==
-The London Mayor's former Asian issues adviser has been at the centre of controversy over the Muslim Contact Unit. The Mayor's press office accused Singh of failing to cooperate with a request for assistance made by the [[Metropolitan Police]] anti-terrorist unit in February 2005. <ref>[http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=15393 The Greater London Authority and Mr Atma Singh], [[Greater London Authority]] press release, 20 January 2008. </ref>
+The London Mayor's former Asian issues adviser [[Atma Singh]] has been at the centre of controversy over the Muslim Contact Unit. The Mayor's press office accused Singh of failing to cooperate with a request for assistance made by the [[Metropolitan Police]] anti-terrorist unit in February 2005. <ref>[http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=15393 The Greater London Authority and Mr Atma Singh], [[Greater London Authority]] press release, 20 January 2008. </ref>
 According to journalist [[Martin Bright]]:
-::Singh was being asked to co-operate with a member of the Metropolitan Police Muslim Contact Unit, who believed, like City Hall, that it was a good idea to form alliances with ideologues like al-Qaradawi, who believe terrorism in the name of Islam is a valid form a political dissent.
+::Singh was being asked to cooperate with a member of the Metropolitan Police Muslim Contact Unit, who believed, like City Hall, that it was a good idea to form alliances with ideologues like al-Qaradawi, who believe terrorism in the name of Islam is a valid form a political dissent.
 ::Singh was the Mayor's adviser on Asian affairs and, as such, he advised against having anything to do with such a figure. The Mayor, in his ignorance, chose to disregard him. Thus a man devoted to the cause of anti-discrimination was dispensed with in the interests of appeasing of the Islamic radical Right. <ref> [http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23433325-details/I+now+believe+Ken+is+a+disgrace+to+his+office/article.do I now Believe Ken is a disgrace to his office], by Martin Bright, [[Evening Standard]], 21 January 2008. </ref>

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 ==Finsbury Park Mosque==
-Acording to former MCU head, [[Bob Lambert]], the unit worked with [[British Muslim Initiative]] leader [[Azzam Tamimi]] to take control of Finsbury Park Mosque from supporters of [[Abu Hamza]] in 2005. <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/14/uksecurity.terrorism We need to listen to the man from special branch], by [[Seamus Milne]], [[Guardian]], 14 February 2008. </ref>
+According to former MCU head, [[Bob Lambert]], the unit worked with [[British Muslim Initiative]] leader [[Azzam Tamimi]] to take control of Finsbury Park Mosque from supporters of [[Abu Hamza]] in 2005. <ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/14/uksecurity.terrorism We need to listen to the man from special branch], by [[Seamus Milne]], [[Guardian]], 14 February 2008. </ref>
 ==Neocon attacks==

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 ==Affiliations==
-*[[Patrick Sookhdeo]], founder of the Christian Barnabas Fund, claimed to have worked with Bob Lambert from the 1990s and in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks which led to the setting up of the MCU
+[[Patrick Sookhdeo]], founder of the Christian charity the [[Barnabas Fund]], claimed to have worked with Bob Lambert from the 1990s and in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, with this work leading to the setting up of the unit. According to Sookhdeo's personal website:
 ==Notes==